Charter 97

The Charter 97 ( also Charta'97, Russian Хартия'97, Belarusian Хартыя'97, English Charter'97 ) was a manifesto for a democratic Belarus and is named after the human rights organization, which operates the anti-government news blog charter97.org.

The name Charta'97 was inspired by the Czechoslovak Charter 77, the anniversary of the controversial referendum of 1996, which President Alexander Lukashenko caught the approval for its political restoration course, an extension of its powers secured and created the legal framework for its authoritarian rule. In protest against the vote and the ongoing human rights violations published on 10 November 1997, a circle of independent journalists a statement against the destruction of the national independence of Belarus, which at that time was printed by almost all free newspapers. The signatories called for a commitment to the principles of independence, freedom and democracy, the protection of human rights and to support those who fight for overcoming dictatorship and restoration of democracy in Belarus.

Based on the Charta'97 then created a oppositional alliance among its organizing committee at times well-known politicians such as Andrei Sannikov or Alyaksandr Milinkevich. In a short time he managed the merger to win about 100 prominent supporters of the political and cultural life of Belarus and to initiate a signature campaign, garnered nationwide about 100,000 signatures for the explanation.

Since 1998, the Alliance operates the website charter97.org, the messages of the foreign press about Belarus makes it accessible and informed about the activities of the opposition in the country. The site is now one of the last free access to governmental information. Your editorial offices were repeated in recent years target of break-ins and vandalism, while not one of the respective crimes has been solved, so that suspects that the power structure put yourself behind the incidents.

In September 2010, Aleh Bjabenin, founder of the website, found dead in his apartment. While official sources speak of suicide by hanging, suspect friends and companions Bjabenins a targeted assassination by the KGB and a connection with the presidential election on December 19.